Since 1982, Merkel & Cocke, P.A. has offered thorough, aggressive legal representation on behalf of clients throughout Mississippi. As one of the largest plaintiffs’ personal injury law firms in the state, we consider it our duty and our honor to serve the people of our communities, and to uphold their rights in court. Our reputation is such that other law firms turn to us when they need legal counsel, and our business has grown through the years because of the referrals of these attorneys, who trust us with their needs and the needs of their clients. We are the firm you can trust when there are challenges ahead. To schedule a free consultation, please complete our contact form.
Posts by Merkel & Cocke, P.A.
How Claims Are Handled in Hunting Accident Cases
Mississippi residents love to hunt. So do the lawyers at our firm. Unfortunately, many hunters suffer injuries due to defective tree stands and weapons there weren’t manufactured properly. Poorly designed guns and rifles can cause a weapon to fire prematurely. Crossbows and compound bows that weren’t designed or made safely can injure the person firing…
Read MoreDeadly Tunica-Bound Bus Crash: Was It Avoidable?
Yesterday afternoon, a Teague VIP Express tour bus traveling from Huntsville, Alabama to Tunica flipped onto its side while traveling down I-269 near U.S. 78. The bus was carrying 45 passengers, plus the driver. The crash led to the deaths of two passengers, and the remaining 44 people on the bus were injured. According to…
Read MoreMississippi is Below Average – and We Could Not Be Happier About It
It is not very often that folks can be proud of being below-average – but when it comes to the number of children with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), being below-average is a good place to be. MedPage Today reports that in a recent study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, “The lifetime prevalence of traumatic brain injury…
Read MoreThe VA Has Fewer 1-Star Hospitals – But There Is Still Work to be Done
The latest rankings of Veterans Affairs hospitals have been released, and the number of 1-star hospitals has dropped from 14 to 9. This is good news, of course, but we should not get our hopes up quite yet; 35 hospitals were given 2-stars, which means just under a third of all ranked VA hospitals (146…
Read MoreOSHA Cites Two Companies for Hazardous Conditions that Led to the Death of a Worker in Utica, MS
In September, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued citations to two companies – Midway Tower Service Inc. and Bracken Equipment Holdings LLC – for hazardous conditions after a communications worker died on a worksite in Utica. According to WorkersCompensation.com, “Midway Tower Service Inc. was cited for exposing employees to fall and struck-by hazards,…
Read MoreDaylight Saving Time Switches Can Be Deadly
On Sunday, November 4th, Daylight Saving Time (DST) officially ends, as we “fall back” in the Standard Time designation. Gaining that extra hour of sleep does more than simply boost moods and morale, however; it can also prove deadly. The switch into DST in the Spring has been linked to an increased number of fatal…
Read MoreThe Unscrupulous Practice of Balance Billing
Many of us will require emergency medical care at some point in life. Depending on the type of ailment you have when the medics arrive, you may not have a say in who provides you with care, including the ambulance and the hospital to which you are taken. Unfortunately, some healthcare providers have figured out…
Read MoreDangerous Roadways in Mississippi and Car Accident Claims
Many serious car accidents in Mississippi and throughout the nation are initiated by careless or inattentive drivers. However, some crashes are due to dangerous roadways. In Mississippi, roadways that are inadequately maintained or designed improperly and without certain features that contribute toward traffic safety can lead to accidents. When defective design, maintenance, or construction leads…
Read MoreEpinephrine Shots After Cardiac Arrest Leading to Brain Damage
Medical teams throughout Mississippi and across the nation have commonly used adrenaline, also called epinephrine, for many decades to treat emergency cardiac arrest victims in an attempt to save their lives. Traditionally, adrenaline is use when CPR and electric shocks have failed to start the heart and restore breathing. New information available, however, provides evidence…
Read MorePelahatchie Construction Site Explosion Reinforces the Dangers Faced By Heavy Industry Workers
A building was heavily damaged when an explosion rocked a central Mississippi construction site on the afternoon of September 10 in Pelahatchie, east of Jackson. No one was reported injured. According to news reports, three workers were performing tank welding operations at the Jackson Commodities building when vapor in the air ignited, causing the explosion.…
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